Connecticut News: July 2009 Archives

After they they cracked that that cold one Thursday evening at the White House, here's the first question President Obama should ask of both Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates and Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley:

Ok, guys, tell me what you would have done differently if you had the chance to do this over?

The answer to that question, if both are candid, would be very enlightening.

The Henry Louis Gates v. Cambridge Police flap is still a talker. President Obama has promised to break bread with Prof. Gates and Sgt. James Crowley - or least crack a brew - to help settle things and enhance race relations. We're going to talk about this case on The Stan Simpson Show, which airs Sunday, 10 a.m., on Fox 61 ... An advance viewing of the show can be seen here at the blog starting Thursday.

West Hartford Police Chief James Strillacci and Teresa Younger, executive director of the Permanent Commission on Women, and a former CT ACLU chief, will talk about the case, where to assign blame and how we move on from here.

I also will write a column about this in Wednesday's Hartford Courant and courant.com.

My take? ... Let's just say that Artheta Franklin's signature song was not taken into account here. If you have questions or comments you'd like to hear raised on the show, let me know.

Folks, we here at "The Stan Simpson Show" are inviting you to participate in a fundraiser to support the children of departed Fox 61 colleague Alice Morrin.

A spaghetti dinner and community event is being conducted Wednesday, July 29, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Rockville High School, 70 Loveland Road in Vernon, CT

Donations can be made at the door. All proceeds to the Morrin Education Fund; c/o Rockville Bank, 1645 Ellington Road, South Windsor CT 06074. For more information, contact Charlie Chatterton at 860-872-0081 or Frank Zampino at 860-870-8370

He's UConn's latest BMOC. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, in his first year as Dean of UConn's Medical School, is one the university's most important recruits and compelling people.

He is the point person on an ambitious plan to merge UConn's medical center with Hartford Hospital.

But Dr. Laurencin's personal achievements are as impressive as his professional mission.

He is an internationally renown orthopedic surgeon and was recently recognized by President Obama for excellence in Science and Math. He has academic degrees from Princeton, MIT and Harvard.

Dr. Laurencin will be a guest on The Stan Simpson Show, which airs Sunday, 10 a.m., on Fox 61. You can catch an advance viewing of the show exclusively on line THURSDAY by coming to this blog. Click on the video player to the right.

Other guests confirmed for the show are Maryellen Fillo, the Courant's Java columnist will dish on the Chris Brown apology and the mammoth divorce settlement of the Davids. And business owners Jerry Long and Ann Flynn will comment on the record number of small businesses going under in CT.

Ok, still trying to digest this $50 million divorce settlement reached between former CT corporate mogul George David and his wife Countess Marie Douglas-David. At 37, she is, gulp, 30 years his junior. That means when he was 45, she was 15 ... ok, you get the point!

Hey, I ain't mad at G. David. Go on with your bad self.

That's quite a take, though, for the Mrs. And in looking at these other hefty divorce settlements, which don't include lawyers fees, it reminds me of some sage advice I received from a relative of mine -- who come to think of it, never got married:

Here's the latest behind-the-scenes pix from the The Stan Simpson Show from photog Nick (At Night) Caito.

The show airs Sunday, July 19, 10 a.m., on Fox 61 -- or can be seen online here at the blog by clicking on to the video player to your right.

This week's guests are: Hartford State Rep. Kelvin Roldan -- the youngest Hispanic ever elected to the legislature comments on the confirmation process of Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

Shannon Knall of Autism Speaks talks about landmark insurance reform legislation passed in Connecticut -- and why there's a new battle on the national front. Scott Gray, sportscaster from WTIC NewsTalk 1080 talks bit about UConn hoops, the Boston Celtics and the Yanks, Sox and Mets.

There are also some pixs here of just some of the folks so critical to the show, like Kristin, our floor manager, and Tim, one of the camera people.

Hartford State Rep. Kelvin Roldan grew up in public housing, one of nine kids raised by a single mom in Hartford. He earned a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and literature from Middlebury College in VT, and a Master's degree in public policy from Trinity College.

He is fluent in three languages -- English, Spanish and Chinese - and has studied abroad in China and London.

It would be naive to think that his impoverished background doesn't shape how he sees the world as a lawmaker. It's equally naive to think that Judge Sonia Sotomayor's humble beginnings doesn't influence her thinking and perspective as a judge. I talk to Roldan about the confirmation process for Sotomayor in my Saturday column. We also talk about the issue on the Stan Simpson Show, which airs Sundays, at 10 a.m. on Fox 61 -- or you can catch the show on line now by linking to the video to your right.

You can get your exclusive, advance viewing of Sunday's The Stan Simpson Show by checking out the blog Thursday. We tape Wednesday nights, at 7 p.m. at Fox 61 studios in Hartford. The video is released online soon after the taping.

So, for those of you who are not around Sundays, at 10 a.m., you can download the show 24-7 whenever you want.

Shannon Knall of Autism Speaks will talk about Gov. Rell's signing of landmark legislation for Autism insurance reform, and Scott Gray, sportscaster at WTIC NewsTalk 1080, will talk local sports and the distinct UConn flavor now on the Detroit Pistons' NBA roster.

Again, if you have any comments or suggestions for show ideas/topics, send us a note here at the blog or e-mail me.

I think it will be smooth sailing for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Trying to line up a guest now to talk at our taping Wednesday night about the Senate proceedings. Will be reaching out first to Fernando Betancourt, the former executive director of the Puerto Rican and Latino Affairs Commission.

Two other segments we're working on are one on the inequity in Autism insurance on a national level -- and we're going to squeeze in a little sports talk. The Detroit Pistons of the NBA now have a distinct UConn flavor, with UConn alum Richard Hamilton,Ben Gordon and Charlie Villaneuva all now signed with the Pistons. Will fill you in on guests as we confirm. In the meantime, if you have any questions you'd like for me to ask about any of these topics, let me know.

Also, please continue to suggest show/topic ideas you'd like to see us address on the Stan Simpson Show, which airs Sunday, 10 a.m., on Fox 61. Advance viewing of the entire show can be viewed here at the blog.

Nancy Barrow, co- host with DJ Buck of the popular Hot 93.7 WZMX morning show, will be a guest on The Stan Simpson Show, which tapes today at the Fox 61 studios in Hartford. She'll give her reflections on the MJ tribune. In fact, check out Nancy's web page to see moments from the memorial that she thought were particularly compelling.

The show airs Sunday, 10 a.m., on Fox 61, or you can check it out on line by going to my blog.

Connecticut Entertainment Attorney James Walker, a recent guest on the Stan Simpson Show, has been on a media blitz of late since Michael Jackson's death. Almost all of the national cable networks have had Walk on to opine about Jax and drama surrounding his death. He's blowin' up!

Here is Walk's top-10 list of things the Jackson family should do now.

Got another interesting slate of guests line up for the Stan Simpson Show this Sunday. C.J. Jones, "Mr. Central Connecticut State University," will talk about his retirement after more than 40 years as a student, coach and administrator. CCSU is the only professional job the long-time athletic director ever had; he influenced hundreds of young people over past 4 decades.

We'll also hear from Courant Capitol Bureau Chief Christopher Keating -- also the author of the Courant's popular blog Capitol Watch. He'll talk about state government five years after former Guv. John Rowland resigned -- and whether this budget impasse signals a failure in leadership.

Then, a treat for you. De-cluttering consultant Leslie Jacobs gives us tips on how to get organized and put some order and structure to those messy kitchens, home offices and garages.

The show airs Sunday, 10 a.m., on Fox 61. You can catch an advance viewing of the show, in its entirety, by coming to my blog.

Feel free to forward to me any questions you might have for the guests, or topic ideas for future shows.

Dr. Anthony Morgan - the acclaimed St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center trauma surgeon now battling Alzheimer's - and his wife Linda Mackay Morgan did a nice job telling their story at Wednesday's taping of the Stan Simpson Show. To see the full show, click here , or check it out Sunday, 10 a.m. on Fox 61.

Other guests included DJ Buck from Hot 93.7 and emerging local singing artist Charmagne; they talked about the legacy of Michael Jackson and whether he is now worth more dead than alive.

The Morgans journey is an inspiring one for any family dealing with Alzheimer's -- a degenerative brain disease.

They did offer some tips for families dealing with Alzheimer's, including how to inform others of the situation. They also offered advice on where to go to find the latest experimental drug trials. Here is the Morgans' advice:

How to break news to family

-be open and honest

-adjust what you say to whom you are saying it to (adults vs children)

-reinforce taking advantage of "now" rather than only worrying about "later"

-be realistic with expectations but always know that miracles can happen

How to find out about drug trials

-Alzheimer's Association (alz.org)

-Google for "drug trials on Alzheimer's"

-Contact local hospitals for potential study sites (know that larger hospitals/universities are more apt to have research funding for trials)

-American Medical Association (amednews.com is American Medical News that is written in readable language)

Ok, guests are confirmed for tonight's taping of the Stan Simpson Show. .... Looking forward to what should be an insightful show!.

Dr. Anthony Morgan, a renown trauma surgeon, now retired, from St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, will talk, along with his wife Linda Mackay Morgan, about his battle with Alzheimer's.

DJ Buck from Hot 93.7 and emerging local artist Charmagne Tripp will talk about the legacy of Michael Jackson and whether he's now worth more dead, than alive.

The Stan Simpson Show airs Sundays at 10 a.m., on Fox 61. You can get an advance look at the show here at the blog www.courant.com/stan on Thursdays. You can also make comments or requests for guests and topics. ... I want to hear from you!